


Proof Positive

by WroughtBetwixt



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Biting, Bruises, Corruption, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Possibly Pre-Slash, Pre-Slash, Suggestive Themes, Teasing, Twisted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-13
Updated: 2015-10-13
Packaged: 2018-04-26 07:02:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4994791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WroughtBetwixt/pseuds/WroughtBetwixt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Never say 'never' in Gotham. The city's a disease that gets everyone, one day or another.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Proof Positive

Things between Penguin and Jim had been on a tense note ever since Jim had said he knew Penguin had been behind the murders of the two candidates for mayor, and the attempted murder of Theo Galavan. Thinking on it the next morning, Jim knew he should have been less harsh. Penguin was sensitive, proud, and had a penchant for the overdramatic... but he was smart, rational, and not one to be threatened. Jim knew something was wrong. Something had shaken Penguin, and that was strange. He should have been more patient with the guy, but business was business, and the new boss wouldn’t allow for Penguin’s sense of politics; Jim knew it. It’s just that he didn’t stop to think until a couple days that what he said easily counted as a threat.

Jim realized it now, trapped between an alley wall and Victor Zsasz when he was trying to get about his morning work. The assassin wasn’t quite as tall as Jim, but god he was fast, and surprisingly strong. For a moment, Victor let Jim struggle, before slamming him against the wall and crowding close, pinning Jim’s arms to the rough bricks. He’d snarled some threat of violence at Victor, but the man had just laughed, digging his fingernails into Jim’s wrists so hard that Jim was sure they broke the flesh.

“What are you waiting for?” Jim finally spat out once he was done trying to fight. “Kill me, then.”

A slow smile crossed Victors lips. He leaned in closer, close enough to headbutt in the face if Jim was quick enough; Victor tilted his head out of the direct line of fire, as if he could read minds. “Oh. You think that’s what this is?”

Jim swallowed roughly as hot breath ghosted along the side of his neck. “I pissed off Penguin.What else would it be?” 

“That depends,” Victor hummed. He was suddenly much closer all at once, with his whole body. Too close. Lips were grazing across the ridge of Jim’s ear, and Jim could hear the amusement in that odd, lilting voice. Then, a small, light nip to the earlobe. Victor chuckled, dark and low, as Jim shivered. “Mm. Yeah. That depends.”

“Victor...” Jim tried to growl, and managed to make it sound like a warning instead of a whimper. Small miracles. 

Instantly, Victor let go of Jim and was out of hand-to-hand range in the blink of an eye. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket,shrugging. There was no longer a smirk on his face, but there was still a strange look in those almost-black eyes. “The boss wanted me to invite you to dinner. 7pm, his place. He wants to talk to you about your new boss. Come up with some plans. I assume you’ll leave alive, if that helps any.”

“Oh. Is that all?” Jim forced a smile. He wanted to throw up. “Very considerate. Thanks.”

Victor gave Jim a mock salute, backing his way towards the street. “Cya around, Jim.” 

Closing his eyes, Jim tried to make his voice stay neutral, even though his heart was damn near ready to slam right out of his ribcage. “See you.”

There was a moment of silence, and Jim thought Victor was gone. But then there was one last, quiet murmur from the end of the alley. “Yanno, detective... I kinda like the way you say my name.”

Jim opened his eyes and stared at the empty air where Victor had stood just a second before. He let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding, hissing a curse and sinking down the wall to the ground. That’s where he stayed for five minutes longer than necessary, watching purple bruises blossom where Victor’s fingers hand been. A reminder of how close he’d just come. To what? Jim didn’t know, but a reminder all the same. The thought sent an entirely too prurient thrill up his spine, just for a moment. 

He had a wonderful, loving girlfriend. A good woman. He’d never sink so low as to... what? He didn’t know that, either. He didn’t want to know, didn’t want to follow that twisting path wherever it was leading. He’d seen where it’d led too many people, good people. Like Barbara. Too many people had turned to their inner darkness, or the darkness of others, looking for an escape. Danger is a potent aphrodisiac, Harvey had always said. One day, it’ll sneak up, get you, and reel you in. Not me, never me, Jim had always protested. Proof positive that Gotham’s poison infected everyone, in the end. No vaccination. No antidote.

“7pm,” Jim muttered, picking himself off and brushing the dirt from his suit. “Fantastic.”

He’d go to work, like normal. Fuck it all, anyhow.

If only he could get that goddamn touch, that goddamn laugh, from his mind.


End file.
